INDIAN  RIGHTS  ASSOCIATION, 
Office,  No.  1305  Arch  Street. 

Philadelphia,  February,  1888. 


THE  COLLEGES  AND  THE  INDIANS. 

Some  years  ago,  while  conducting  a  thorough  and  systematic 
canvass  of  the  State  of  New  York,  with  the  object  of  developing, 
organizing  and  directing  public  sentiment  in  favor  of  the  pur¬ 
chase,  by  the  State,  of  the  land  around  Niagara  Falls,  for  the 
purpose  of  restoring  and  preserving  the  scenery,  I  addressed  a 
letter  to  the  Presidents  and  other  officers  of  the  principal  col¬ 
leges  of  our  country,  in  which  I  respectfully  asked  their  co5per- 
ation  in  the  enterprise,  and  offered  to  send  to  their  libraries 
various  addresses,  discussions  and  other  publications,  which  I 
was  then  issuing  in  aid  of  the  movement.  After  a  brief  and 
clear  presentation  of  the  facts  involved,  I  iftquested  the  gentle¬ 
men  at  the  head  of  each  of  these  influential  institutions  of  learn¬ 
ing  to  send  me  an  expression  of  interest  in  our  effort  which  I 
could  use  as  a  stimulus  to  the  discussion  of  our  object,  and  to 
public  spirit  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Most  of  them  very 
kindly  complied,  and  their  letters  and  signatures  gave  me  signal 
assistance.  The  influence  of  the  colleges  was,  on  that  occasion^ 
a  perceptible  contribution  to  the  success  of  an  enterprise  of  great 
public  importance,  an  object  which  was  happily  accomplished. 

CONDITIONS  OF  THE  TIME. 

The  conditions  of  the  present  time  are  such  as  to  stimulate 
interest  and  activity  regarding  public  affairs  on  the  part  of  our 
higher  institutions  of  learning.  We  have  increasing  need  of  the 
influence  of  men  of  trained  and  disciplined  intelligence,  of  the 
example  of  recognized  teachers  and  leaders  of  the  people,  to 
encourage,  authorize  and  widen  the  discussion  without  which 
public  questions  can  have  no  valid  or  permanent  decision  in 

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America.  Our  colleges  can  aid  distinctly,  and  very  efficiently, 
in  awakening  and  concentrating  public  attention,  in  creating 
and  sustaining  local  centres  and  sources  of  interest  and  knowl¬ 
edge  regarding  matters  of  public  concern,  and  in  developing  a 
spirit  of  patient  and  thorough  inquiry.  The  time  has  come  for 
a  much  wider  and  fuller  application  of  the  modern  scientific 
method  in  the  study  of  public  affairs  and  social  conditions,  a 
method  which  sets  the  direct  and  competent  observation  of  phe¬ 
nomena  aibove  all  a  priori  theories  and  subjective  impressions 
regarding  the  nature  of  things. 

A  CRISIS  IN  INDIAN  AFFAIRS. 

We  are  rapidly  approaching  a  crisis  in  the  condition  of  many 
of  the  Indians  of  our  country,  especially  in  the  matter  of  the  dis¬ 
position  and  ownership  of  the  land  of  their  reservations.  After 
long  apathy  and  inaction  in  relation  to  these  interests,  the  coun¬ 
try  appears  somewhat  inclined  to  sudden  and  impatient  decision 
of  the  whole  matter.  The  pressure  of  railroads,  of  the  cattle  men, 
and  of  other  representatives  of  powerful  business  interests  upon 
some  of  the  reserva^tions  is  so  strong,  and  the  feeling  of  white 
men  in  general  is  so  one-sided,  and  so  indifferent  to  the  interests 
of  the  Indians,  that  there  is  danger  of  action  that  may  be  too 
sweeping  and  violent  in  its  effects. 

There  is  need  of  fuller  investigation  of  special  conditions,  and 
it  will  probably  be  found  necessary  to  deal  with  the  different  reser¬ 
vations  more  in  detail  than  the  country  is,  at  present,  inclined  to 
approve.  Very  little  is  known  of  the  character  and  adaptations 
of  the  soil  of  many  of  the  principal  reservations,  yet  this  is  a  most 
important  factor  in  determining  the  nature  of  the  industries  by 
which  the  Indians  are  to  obtain  subsistence.  While  it  is  true  that 
existing  knowledge  furnishes  an  inadequate  basis  for  general  and 
final  legislation  disposing  of  Indian  interests,  it  is  also  true  that 
mere  postponement  and  inaction  would  be  highly  perilous  to  the 
interests  of  both  Indians  and  white  men.  Changes  are  inevit¬ 
able.  It  is  imperative  that  the  measures  which  determine  the 
character  and  extent  of  such  changes  should  be  well  considered, 
and  that  they  should  recognize  the  most  vital  facts  in  the  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  Indians  and  their  relations  to  the  particular  regions  in 
which  they  are  henceforth  to  obtain  the  means  of  subsistence. 


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OBJECTS  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION. 

The  Indian  Rights  Association  is  endeavoring  to  secure  for  the 
Indians  the  opportunity  of  education,  the  protection  of  law,  and 
a  protected  individual  title  to  land.  A  year  ago  it  was,  happily, 
successful  in  securing  the  passage  of  the  Dawes  ‘^Land  and  Sev¬ 
eralty  Bill,”  which  is  now  a  law,  and  has  been  applied,  or  is  in 
process  of  application,  on  a  few  reservations.  This  is  a  great 
step  in  advance  in  the  work  for  the  civilization  of  the  Indians, 
but  some  additional  legislation  for  the  extension  of  law  over  the 
Indians  is  necessary,  and  some  measure  embodying  a  compre¬ 
hensive  plan  for  the  education  of  all  Indians  of  school  age  should 
be  adopted  during  the  present  session  of  Congress. 

The  Association  sends  its  representatives  to  the  Indian  reser¬ 
vations  to  observe  and  report  the  facts  of  the  condition  of  the 
Indians,  and  the  knowledge  thus  acquired  is  embodied  in  the 
publications  of  the  Association,  in  newspaper  articles  and  public 
addresses.  The  Association  influences  legislation  by  appealing 
to  the  intelligence  and  conscience  of  the  people  of  the  nation. 
It  advocates  the  employment  of  practical  and  business-like 
methods  of  dealing  with  Indian  affairs,  and  has  no  sympathy 
with  extreme  or  eccentric  ideas  or  aims  ;  but  it  believes  that  such 
a  measure  of  justice  as  is  possible  in  national  affairs  is  best  for  all 
concerned. 

I  shall  be  glad  to  send  the  publications  of  the  Association  to 
the  library  or  officers  of  any  college  applying  for  them.  If  a 
student  in  each  graduating  class  would  make  a  study  of  some  fea¬ 
ture  of  our  Indian  problem  or  policy,  this  would  often  contribute, 
in  an  important  degree,  to  local  popular  intelligence  and  interest 
in  relation  to  the  general  subject.  I  bespeak  the  assistance  of  the 
leading  educators  and  schools  of  our  country,  and  shall  be  grate¬ 
ful  for  all  expressions  of  their  interest  and  sympathy  regarding 
our  work. 

SENTIMENTS  OF  SCFIOLARS. 

Mr.  Lowell  said,  in  his  memorable  address  at  the  Harvard  cele¬ 
bration  ;  The  only  way  in  which  our  civilization  can  be  main¬ 
tained,  even  at  the  level  it  has  reached,  the  only  way  in  which 
that  level  can  be  made  more  general  and  be  raised  higher,  is  by 
bringing  the  influence  of  the  more  cultivated  to  bear  with  greater 


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energy  and  directness  on  the  less  cultivated/’  In  1872,  De 
Sanctis,  the  Italian  Minister  of  Instruction,  said,  in  his  inaugu¬ 
ral  address  in  the  University  of  Naples,  ^Mtalian  universities 
to-day  are  as  if  wrested  from  the  current  of  national  life,  with¬ 
out  influence  over  the  State,  which  declares  itself  neutral,  with 
scarcely  a  noticeable  influence  on  society,  which  they  dare  not 
investigate  to  the  core.  They  have  become  manufacturers  of 
lawyers,  physicians  and  architects.  If  they  will  understand  the 
mission -^of  to-day;  if,  using  the  liberty  accorded  them,  they  will 
seize  upon  the  actual  pressing  problems  of  the  time,  and  will  cut 
to  the  quick ;  if  they  will  have  the  energy  to  make  themselves 
head  and  front  of  the  national  restoration,  they  will  become 
again,  as  they  once  were,  the  great  nurseries  of  growing  genera¬ 
tions,  living  and  light-radiating  centres  of  the  new  spirit.”  As 
an  American,  I  rejoice  in  the  vital  patriotism  of  our  higher  insti¬ 
tutions  of  learning,  and  in  their  superior  efflciency  in  national 
affairs.  The  Indian  Rights  Association  desires  to  be  a  medium 
for  the  propagation  of  the  best  thought  of  the  time  regarding  the 
nation’s  duty  to  the  Indians. 

THE  LATEST  STUDIES. 

During  the  last  two  years  I  have  examined  the  schools,  farm¬ 
ing,  home  life  and  general  condition  and  progress  in  civilization 
of  the  Indians,  and  the  official  administration  of  affairs,  on  the 
Omaha,  Winnebago  and  Santee  reservations  in  Nebraska ;  the 
Pine  Ridge,  Rosebud,  Yankton,  Lower  Brule,  Crow  Creek, 
Cheyenne  River,  Standing  Rock,  Sisseton,  Devil’s  Lake  and 
Turtle  Mountain  reservations  in  Dakota,  the  Musquaukee  reserva¬ 
tion  in  Iowa,  the  White  Earth  reservation  in  Minnesota,  the 
Crow  reservation  in  Montana,  the  Yakima  reservation  in  Southern 
Washington,  the  Nisqually  and  Skokomish  in  the  Puget  Sound 
region,  and  in  the  Klamath  and  Modoc  country  in  Southern 
Oregon. 

The  range  of  my  observations  has  enabled  me  to  make  a  com¬ 
parative  study  of  the  condition  and  character  of  the  Indians  in 
widely  separated  and  different  regions.  My  exploration  of  the 
great  Sioux  reservation  was  much  more  thorough  than  had  ever 
before  been  accomplished.  Throughout  my  journeys  I  have 
received  the  greatest  courtesy,  kindness  and  assistance  from  the 


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commanders  of  forts  and  military  posts  and  officers  of  the  army 
in  the  Indian  country,  from  all  Indian  agents  and  employes  of 
the  government  on  the  reservations,  and  from  civil  officers,  mis¬ 
sionaries,  teachers,  journalists,  business  men  and  leading  citizens 
everywhere,  and  have  been  highly  fortunate  in  opportunities  for 
observation  and  investigation,  and  in  all  the  conditions  and 
course  of  circumstances  affecting  my  work.  I  have  heard  what 
the  Indians  themselves  had  to  say  everywhere.  The  Boston 
Herald  employed  me  as  a  special  correspondent,  and  I  have 
written  many  .letters,  which  have  been  published  in  that  journal. 

A  complete  report  of  my  journeys  and  observations,  up  to  the 
date  of  publication,  with  suggestions  and  conclusions  resulting 
therefrom,  regarding  the  condition  and  character  of  the  Indians, 
the  legislation  and  administration  needed  for  their  development 
and  civilization,  the  methods  of  the  Indian  service  and  various 
related  subjects,  was  issuedTast  year,  with  the  title  ^‘The  Latest 
Studies  on  Indian  Reservations,”  and  will  be  sent,  postpaid,  for 
25  cents  a  copy.  Stamps  may  be  sent  us  for  sums  less  than  one 
dollar.  Address, 

J.  B.  HARRISON, 

Agent  Indian  Rights  Association, 

1305  Arch  Street, 

Or,  HERBERT  WELSH,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Corresponding  Secretary. 


“THE  -LATEST  STUDIES 


ON 


INDIAN  RESERVATIONS.” 


Bv  J.  B.  Harrison. 


This  book  has  been  received  by  the  press  of  the  whole 
country  as  the  best  recent  work  on  the  actual  condition  of 
Indians  on  the  Reservations.  It  is  a  record  of  personal 
investigation  from  Omaha  to  Puget  Sound  and  the  lava-bed 
region  of  Southern  Oregon.  It  has  stimulated  discussion 
in  a  remarkable  degree. 

We  are  selling  the  Sixth  Thousand.  Postage  stamps  may 
be  sent  for  sums  less  than  one  dollar. 

Address  all  orders  to 

THE  INDIAN  RIGHTS  ASSOCIATION, 

IS 05  Arch  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Paper,  233  Pages.  25  Cents  a  Copy. 


